“Reserve your right to ride,” the slogan reads for the first annual Whitley County Sheriff’s Reserves fundraising ATV and motorcycle ride.
Just as they do every year, the reserve deputy program hosts two fundraisers to help with equipment and supplies for the job they do for the sheriff’s department for no pay.
A breakfast at the Whitley County 4-H grounds is one annual fundraiser done for years, but this year, the program will test new waters with the ATV ride.

“Reserve your right to ride,” the slogan reads for the first annual Whitley County Sheriff’s Reserves fundraising ATV and motorcycle ride.
Just as they do every year, the reserve deputy program hosts two fundraisers to help with equipment and supplies for the job they do for the sheriff’s department for no pay.
A breakfast at the Whitley County 4-H grounds is one annual fundraiser done for years, but this year, the program will test new waters with the ATV ride.
“This is the first ... , but we hope to turn it into an annual event,” said Brian Potts, a reserve deputy with the Whitley County Sheriff’s Department.
Registration for the 50-mile ride will be from 8 to 9 a.m. at R&D Motorsports on Connexion Way, before the event Saturday.
Registration is $20 per driver and $5 per passenger.
The ride will start at 9 a.m. and be about 50 miles that will encompass Loon and Shriner lakes, and some of the southern portion of Whitley County.
The ride will go north on Wolf Road to Lincolnway and return to R&D.
“We’re promoting safe and legal riding … it’s not a race,” Potts said.
When the ride finishes, there will be a band, obstacle course and an archery trailer at R&D.
Although unregistered ATVs are illegal on the highway any other time, they will be allowed in this event because of an exception in Indiana law for special events.
The sheriff’s reserves program is a self-supporting division of the department that is furnished cars by the department during on-duty use of reserve deputies, but other equipment needs to be bought by the reserve program.
Without a line item in the sheriff’s department’s budget for daily equipment and training, the reserve deputy program relies on fundraisers.
“We’re not in a tax line item,” Potts said.
Anyone with questions about the event can send him an e-mail at bpotts@whitleysd.com.